Kongsberg contracted for parts on 150 F-35s

June 12 (UPI) — Kongsberg has received a $65 million order from Lockheed Martin for parts on 150 F-35s, a day after Lockheed and the Pentagon marked delivery of the 300th F-35 aircraft.

Kongsberg announced on Tuesday it received the order from Lockheed Martin for rudders and vertical leading edges for Lot 11 F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.

The company is one of hundreds that has worked with Lockheed to produce parts for and support the fifth-generation fighter as production ramps up for the United States and other allied partner countries. The U.S., as well as most of the other partners, plan to significant parts of their air fleets with the F-35 over time.

“This order demonstrates Kongsberg’s continued competitiveness of high end manufacturing for the F-35 program,” Terje Bråthen, executive vice president at Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace, said in a press release. “We are also pleased to see how the program ramps up and the associated increased yearly production quantities.”

Lockheed said in a press release on Monday that it has delivered the first 300 F-35s to the U.S. and other customers — including 197 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variants, 75 F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing variants and 28 F-35C carrier variants.

The 300th aircraft, an F-35A, is to be delivered to the U.S. Air Force at Hill Air Force Base in Utah.

“The F-35 weapons system is a key enabler of our National Defense Strategy and is providing our warfighters the combat proven, advanced capabilities they need to meet mission requirements,” said Vice Admiral Mat Winter, program executive officer for the F-35 Joint Program Office.

“Moving forward, our F-35 team remains committed to driving costs down, quality up and faster delivery timelines across our development, production and sustainment lines of effort.”